Azaelia's Return
by amy15
Summary: The story of Link and Zelda's daughter. Don't worry, there'll be a prequel and a sequel when I'm done with this one! PG13 just in case. Please R+R, and I'll do the same for you!
1. Prologue

Yep, I'm one of those writers that feels the need to write prologues for everything! C'mon, you know you love it, admit it! Okay, this is my first major fanfiction story, so I would love you sooooo much if you'd do a little review for me. And I'm always looking for online buddies, so email me! :-D  
  
Oops, off the subject. It goes like this: When Zelda is 20 and Link is 22, they get married (for some reason I always envisioned her being younger). Around three months afterward, Zelda has a baby, a girl they name Azaelia. Everything is grand, right? Wrong. When the baby is born, Ganondorf is reborn. Zelda and Link know they have to defeat him again, and just before they leave the castle, Zelda flees with Azaelia, searching for a safe place to leave her. She comes across Termina, goes into Clock Town, and knocks on a random door, which just so happens to be the door of the Stock Pot Inn. You know all know Anju right? Well, she's only five, and her mother, Leila, agrees to take in Azaelia just for a little while. Unfortunately, it takes about eight years to fully defeat Ganondorf, and Azaelia is eight years old herself at this point. Zelda and Link decide to wait until she is a little older before going to return to her Hyrule.  
  
Years go by, yadda yadda yadda. Leila basically tells Azaelia she is her real mother, and Anju is her sister. Since Azaelia was only a baby when she was brought to Clock Town, she believes 'em. She grows up a happy kid, even though Leila works her waaaaaay too hard at the inn.  
  
When Azaelia is fifteen and Anju is twenty, there is lots going on. The Carnival of Time is coming up, and on that day, Anju is supposed to marry her lover Kafei. Only, he's missing, he's disappeared, no one can find him. But then Anju notices something that takes her mind off Kafei.  
  
Azaelia is verbally abused by Leila. She works day and night, and Leila is always nagging at her, yelling at her, etc. Yeah, occasionally she gets slapped too. Anju knows something is wrong, so she writes a letter to the Royal Family of Hyrule (read: Zelda and Link). Zelda recognizes the name of inn and stuff, so she and Link go to see Anju. There they meet Azaelia, and tell her who she truly is: princess of Hyrule! Yay! Azaelia isn't too happy though, but she does go home with Zelda and Link to assume her duties as princess. She and Anju write to each other, though. Oh, and eventually Anju and Kafei get married.  
  
Two years later, Azaelia and her mom and dad decide to visit Clock Town for a week. Azaelia's Return is what happens during that week. Please enjoy! Sorry 'bout the long prologue. 


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One  
  
The return of Princess Azaelia was to be greatly celebrated, and Anju awoke at the first break of daylight to begin with the preparations. The townsfolk hustled around fervently, decorating every inch of municipality that could possibly be adorned. The mailman rose very early, distributing and collecting mail, and afterward he announced that, because of the arrival of the royal family, afternoon service was cancelled. Mayor Dotour was being his usual irresolute self, and couldn't decide between lavender or cherry streamers. Madame Aroma, his wife, ordered the commoners about, telling them to bake, beautify, and clean. Even the chary man from the Curiousity Shop assisted, hanging placards and banners on the granite walls.  
  
The Zora band, The Indigo-Go's, was coming as well, anxious to perform for the dignified people. The Rosa sisters were putting together a new dance. Gorman, the troupe manager, had renounced from the group to be with his brothers, and now the instrumentalist, Guru-Guru, was the leader. Anju peered through her bedroom window and couldn't help but grin. Two years ago when Azaelia had lived in Termina, she had been the life of the town, and had been missed in the years she had been absent, fulfilling her duties as princess. Anju frequently wrote to her, and the princess never failed to correspond.  
  
She felt like a child, gazing out the window at her friends working so hard for a girl they esteemed and loved so much. No, Anju thought, not a girl anymore. A woman, a young woman. It had been evident in her letters, she was so unlike the insecure child she was when she left. Azaelia would be seventeen now. However, Anju was still five years her senior.  
  
Anju felt a gentle hand touch her shoulder. "What are you looking at, my darling?" a voice said. It was the tone of Anju's husband, Kafei, who apparently had risen himself to greet the day. He rested his cheek on her auburn hair, breathing in the fragrance of lilacs that she always smelled like. It was a familiar smell to Kafei, soothing and knowing, just as she was.  
  
His spouse's eyes didn't leave the transom. "I was looking at the people," she told him. "Look at how hard they are working, all for our Azaelia." A smile crossed her pretty face, but it was gesture tainted with sadness. She missed Azaelia, of course. Kafei knew that. Luckily, it didn't impede with her everyday life. In fact, sometimes he didn't know how the woman handled it all: managing their inn, Stock Pot, caring for her ill mother, cleaning, cooking, shopping...he questioned, sometimes, if she ever became stressed, because if she was, she never illustrated it. She was unruffled, serene, in control.  
  
He pressed his lips into her hair. "I know," he murmured. "But do you think, maybe, that we should be out there helping them?" He pulled away from her, giving her an encouraging smile.  
  
Though she did not return the smile, Anju nodded. "Yes, I suppose we should. I'll go dress. Dear, will you please draw together our decorations? Madame Aroma will indubitably want to see them."  
  
"My mother?" Kafei asked. He laughed. "Yes, she certainly will."  
  
Heading into the section of their room that was sheltered by a large pastel blue curtain, Anju put on her traditional work attire of a pallid chemise, scarlet vest, and green dress. She stepped into her shoes and was out the door. She didn't bother to wait for Kafei; he would come out soon.  
  
"Ohh, Anju!" a familiar operatic voice shouted. The accent drowned out the chatter of the crowd in East Clock Town. "I'm soooooo glad you're here!"  
  
Anju didn't have to look up to see who it was, calling her name in such a respited tone. Glancing up with a knowing smirk on her lips, sure enough, it was the mayor's wife Kafei's mother, Madame Aroma. "Hullo, Madame," Anju said sweetly, even though Madame wasn't her favorite person. It was hard for Anju to respect the woman, but she knew she had to. She was, after all, her husband's mother.  
  
Madame Aroma rushed forward toward Anju, her pasty hands fluttering around her chubby face and two chins. "Oh, Anju, thank goodness you're awake!" Madame let an edgy titter escape her throat. "I was getting worried! Good good, now you take over here...well, I'll be heading back home now, siesta time for me, hahaha!" She skidded off, dragging her feet along the cement pavement, high-heeled pumps and all. "Oh!" she called over her shoulder, "make sure my son helps too, Anju dear!"  
  
Anju felt inundated. Just as she was feeling flawed for not being able to take charge immediately, Kafei came into view beside her, their decorations in a bulky cardboard box in his arms. A confused look passed over his face. "Uh...where's Mom? Wasn't she instructing this group?" He surveyed the townspeople, appearing vaguely surprised. "Wow, there sure are a lot of us."  
  
Anju nodded and cringed. "Your mother left me to be in charge of this crowd," she reported to him. Alarm flowed through her body. The royal family would arrive in roughly twelve hours. It seemed like a long time, but Clock Town was fairly large, and would take ten hours in the least to fix everything up just right.  
  
"You?" Kafei queried, visibly shocked. "Honey, if you are overwhelmed, I'd be happy to take over for you," he told her, smiling gently, wishing she would let him take her place.  
  
Anju laughed conceitedly. "Do you think I cannot do it, Kafei?" She folded her arms across her chest and stared angrily at him through her tangential vision.  
  
"No, of course not!" Kafei said hastily. His rendered, speechless look seemed unending. "Why would you think such a thing, Anju, dearest?" His eyes, a shadowy crimson, gaped back at her. Anju was touched. He always gazed at her with such adoration in his eyes. His eyes. She remembered the split second she realized she loved him: the instant when she first stared into his eyes. They were so unique; no one else in all of Clock Town possessed red eyes such as Kafei's.  
  
Anju quickly removed her eyes from his gawk and tried to bite back a grin. "Never mind, you," she told him in a lighthearted tone. "Just...you go help out with the rest of the crowd, alright? And let me have those decorations."  
  
Kafei nodded without delay or objection and passed the box to her. Then he leaned in, kissed her tenderly on the cheek, and disappeared into the swarm of people.  
  
A warm, content feeling filled Anju's soul. Kafei was what kept her stable during tough times such as these. Because of that simple kiss, she felt as if she was in high spirits and prepared to get to work. She wanted everything to be perfect for Azaelia's return, but for a moment she looked at the crowd. People were laughing, chattering and gossiping eagerly. So many people made up Clock Town. Anju contemplated on how Azaelia could have possibly left. She wouldn't leave for anything.  
  
On the other hand, Azaelia left because she had found out who she truly was: a princess.  
  
Anju grimaced and just as she had started to stroll away from the mob, a recognizable voice called, "Morning, Anju!"  
  
Anju turned swiftly and saw a young friend of hers, Luken, sauntering past her. "Hello, Luken," she responded. She perceived a box akin to the one she seized in her arms in his. "Helping out?" she asked.  
  
Luken smirked. "You seem surprised."  
  
"I..." Anju started but could not finish. "Well..."  
  
The boy chortled. "Yes, I am lending a hand, if that answers your question." Laughter was in his tone of voice.  
  
"You just didn't seem like the type to help make things enjoyable for the royals, that's all," Anju admitted. A mischievous spangle emerged in her gray eyes suddenly. "What with the way you make fun of them and all."  
  
Luken played along with her. "I do no such thing," he declared.  
  
Anju laughed haughtily. "Excuse me? 'Those spoiled rotten royals,' " she quipped, emulating him. "What do you call that, huh?"  
  
Luken smiled naughtily. "Can you keep a secret?" he asked. He glanced around as if to see if anyone was watching him.  
  
Anju did the same, and nodded.  
  
"I'm only helping," he said, "because some of this garnishing stuff would be great to play tricks on that princess with."  
  
Anju's eyes grew wide. "You're evil," she stated to him. But she was smiling.  
  
A sarcastically humble look was on Luken's face. "Thank you. I know," he said.  
  
Anju studied him. "I hope you are joking," she said, "because I will guard her with my life if you are serious."  
  
Luken expressed his amusement with a laugh. "Do not fret, Lady Anju. I am kidding. If you'll excuse me..." He motioned that he had to leave. "I must get to my...ah...work."  
  
Anju nodded. "Good-bye for now, Luken. See you later at the celebration?"  
  
"Wouldn't miss it." Luken flashed her another impish grin and hurried off.  
  
So began Anju's lengthy, difficult day of bejeweling. Finally, the mayor decided that red silk streamers would be finest, so that is what Anju commenced to twirl around the upper part of East Clock Town. She had just finished when Madame Aroma bustled into Anju's area in a flurry of feather boas and costume jewels and proclaimed that the color chosen was, in fact, purple. This perturbed Anju greatly, but she forced a smile and tore down her decorations.  
  
Not long after she had begun working yet again, Madame Aroma came to Anju and commanded her to go cook lunch for the crowd. Knowing that she would never be able to handle cooking for so many citizens, Anju enlisted in her husband's help. Together, the two scuttled around the kitchen of their inn in a great commotion, baking and cooking all the food they owned, from soup to mashed potatoes and back to desserts and pastries. As things were winding down in the Stock Pot Inn, Kafei let out a huff of annoyance. "I cannot believe my mother dumped this chore upon us."  
  
"Nor can I," Anju concurred, a fire in her voice that wasn't typically there. Kafei resisted a grin.  
  
"It's just," Anju persisted, stacking colorless plates on the coppice tabletop, "she thinks that just because she is the highest authority in this town, we are her personal servants, and that is not the case!" She sighed deeply and plopped down in a chair.  
  
"It's not just us," Kafei told his wife. "She treats everyone this inadequately ." He sat down next to his wife, who rested her chin in her hand. "My mother was part of the reason I was hiding two years ago," he confessed. A misty look was in his eyes as he remembered when the imp had changed him from a grown man who was about to be married, to a child. He evoked his days spent in the laundry pool and winced. But he was grateful that after the imp from the woods had seen what he had done wrong, he had changed Kafei back into his true form--a man of age twenty-one. He was twenty-three now, but yet, not much had changed in Termina since the imp had left.  
  
He expected Anju to become angry, and was repentant about telling her this, but Anju's miserable, fed up expression did not change. "I can see why," she mumbled.  
  
"I'd try to have a discussion with her," Kafei said, "but you know what she'll say. 'It's for the benefit of the people,'" he impersonated nastily. "I'll tell you, I hope her manners are altered when Azaelia gets here. There's no way she would act superior around the royal family."  
  
"I'd hope not," Anju answered bitterly. "The problem is, they're all so polite. If Madame was to order them around, they wouldn't object!"  
  
"I--" Kafei had started to respond to Anju's statement when there was a loud knock at the door.  
  
"Oh!" Anju said, startled, hopping to her feet. "We'll finish talking later on," she told her husband. "For now, we must do what we are here to do. And that is provide food for our friends." She gave a tiny smile and went to answer the door.  
  
For the next hour, Anju and Kafei served the townspeople all the food they had cooked. Youthful and elderly came to the Stock Pot Inn to obtain a free lunch, and then went back outdoors to munch and chatter with friends and family. Anju knew that Azaelia would be the center of tittle-tattle today. She was almost afraid of what the people might say about her.  
  
It was one o'clock when Anju and Kafei concluded doling out the food to the extensive line of people that had flooded inside the inn. At last they too went outside to join the others for a few minutes of relaxation. They sat on two wooden barrels with their serving dishes, not speaking to each other, but taking note of the words of gossip their fellow commoners had to say.  
  
"I've heard that the king saved Hyrule prior to his marriage to the queen."  
  
"Did you hear? The princess is getting married in two weeks!" This was followed by shrieks and giggles.  
  
"Queen Zelda is pregnant. Did you know that?"  
  
Anju shook her head cheerlessly and whispered to Kafei, "I don't think any of that is true."  
  
"I know it's not," Kafei replied, glaring at the gossipers.  
  
"Hey, Anju," a gentleman's voice said. It was a soldier, Captain Viscen. "Do you think the princess would like a body guard?" Hope was in his tone of voice. Though Viscen was a very young soldier, not much older than Kafei, he was one of the greatest and most respected.  
  
Before Anju could answer, another male voice interrupted. "Don't be ridiculous, Viscen! She'll want someone older, more advanced, if you will." Another soldier, Shiro, had intruded on their conversation. Usually, he was quite bashful, becaue he felt his fellow guards looked down on him. "Anju, I'd be a better choice for the princess, don't you agree?"  
  
Anju shrugged her bony shoulders. "Ask her when she arrives. I am sure she wouldn't want me to choose for her, gentlemen."  
  
Shiro looked thoughtful. "Yes, I suppose that's true."  
  
Meanwhile, a heavyset carpenter named Mutoh was addressing Kafei. "Kafei, buddy," he said gruffly, cuffing the younger man on the back. "You think our princess would appreciate a new house of her own? I got some of my men making a blueprint as we speak. That way she'd have someplace to live when she comes to visit..."  
  
Kafei held up his hands as if to surrender. "Whoa, Mutoh," he said. "I think you ask should her yourself. She's...quite an independent young lady."  
  
Midst all the discussion, a silvery cobalt coach drew up, led by clean, sallow horses. Anju identified it automatically, though others did not.  
  
Gasps were heard in the huddle of people. "The princess! She's early!" One panicked voice could be perceived above the rest.  
  
"Don't be stupid!" an additional voice countered. "That's the Zora carriage! The Indigo-Go's are here!"  
  
It was true. A coachman, who was human for some reason, opened the carriage door, and the Zora band stepped out. First was the manager, a round, stout Zora called Toto, accountable for much of the band's celebrity. Anju recalled a chat she'd had with them a short time ago. He spoke of how proud he was of the band, and how much progress they showed...Anju felt the same way when she thought of her inn, and the growth it had made since she was put in charge.  
  
Next, out stepped the bandleader, Evan, who played keyboard, followed by Japas, the bass player. Girls screeched as he stepped out. "Hey, Clock Town dudes!" he called.  
  
Tijo, the drum player, hopped out next, and followed by the most attractive band member, the guitarist, Mikau. Even more squeals of bliss trailed his entrance.  
  
At last, the band songstress, Lulu, poked her head out. Japas extended his hand to her. She took it, and timorously stepped out. Oohs and ahhs followed this, and Anju could comprehend why.  
  
She was dazzling, for a Zora at least. Zoras were the aquatic people of the sea, part human, part fish, skilled swimmers and, as the Indigo-Go's demonstrated, talented musicians. Most of them were typical looking, with fins and light blue skin. Not Lulu.  
  
She held some traditional Zora features, such as the fins at her ankles and shoulders that helped her swim gracefully. Her skin was insiped white, spattered with cerulean, and it seemed to shimmer. Sapphire earrings dangled from her ears, glinting in the sunshine. Her eyes were truly indigo, a vivid, shining purple that glittered when she sang and spoke. She wore a short violet dress that sparkled. She radiated, it seemed.  
  
She smiled brightly at the huge bevy of humans watching her. "Greetings," she said. Her voice, even when it wasn't crooning, sounded harmonious.  
  
Suddenly people from all over town were rushing to the band, asking for autographs and giving them admiring comments. The band members smiled and willingly spoke back to the townspeople, until Toto disrupted the commotion with a loud, "Wait a moment! Everyone, calm down, please!"  
  
Everyone reluctantly shifted their eyes from the band to the manager.  
  
"The Indigo-Go's will be performing for you all later," he said hardheartedly. "For now, let's just let them get settled."  
  
"Oh, it's okay, Toto!" Evan the bandleader called to his manager. "We'd like to get acquainted to this crowd. Besides, there will be no time for autographs later, with the princess coming and all."  
  
The manager did not look thrilled with this assertion, but he answered with a brusque "All right, all right..." before commencing to unload the members' belongings.  
  
Lulu had spotted Anju and strided over to her. "Anju, it is so good to see you again!" she exclaimed, her face lighting up.  
  
"It's wonderful to see too, Lulu," Anju answered, smiling sincerely at the Zora girl. Lulu beamed and hugged Anju. Feeling somewhat awkward, Anju returned the hug. "So. How've you been, Lulu?" she asked, making courteous dialogue. "How's the Cape?"  
  
"Oh, you know how it is. The fans...every time we even mention the sheer possibility of a rehearsal, the place is packed." Lulu said this as though it was a bad thing, and Anju struggled to pity her. She was young, beautiful, and talented--what more did she want?  
  
"Oh". Anju was unsure of what to say. Lulu sure had adjusted to fame since the last they had met, which was not even a year ago, for the Carnival of Time. Back then, Lulu had been retrained and kind of quiet, but yet very considerate to her fans. Now she spoke of them like they were an inconvenience. "Well, Lulu, it's nice to see you again," Anju said neutrally, touching the Zora's arm. "Good luck at the show. I'm sure Princess Azaelia will enjoy it very much."  
  
"You think so? Good," Lulu said, giggling nervously. "I was worried..."  
  
"Don't. She'll love it. Believe me, I know her very well," Anju reassured Lulu. "I must get back to the preparations. I'll show you to your room shortly, if that's all right. You are staying at that Stock Pot Inn, correct?"  
  
Lulu's eyes lit up. "Oh, Anju, could you show it to me now? I'd love to unpack now. I'll be much too weary to do it later."  
  
Anju made an effort to not show her averse, and put on her business voice. "Sure. Come right this way."  
  
She led Lulu to a room in the upper level of the inn. There was a solitary bed there, as the girl requested. The other members of the band were sharing the room next to hers.  
  
"Oh, it's so charming, Anju!" Lulu said elatedly. "Umm...Anju...would you mind if Japas came in here later?" She was biting her lower lip to keep a grin from working its way onto her face.  
  
Anju blinked several times in a row. "Uh...no! No, go ahead, it is your room for the time being." She blinked again, hard. "I'll leave you to finish un..." Anju's voice trailed off and she gave a nervous laugh. "Unpack. Yes, good-bye, Lu...Lulu..." She groped over her speech and backed out of the room. Once she was unaccompanied out in the corridor, she giggled some more, and trotted down the stairs.  
  
Kafei was on his way up, carrying a tray of food, and saw his wife's foolish grin. "What's so funny?" he asked.  
  
With another snigger, Anju answered, "It seems that Lulu and Japas have quite an intrigue."  
  
Kafei's eyes narrowed. "Anju..." he said warningly. "I told you to stay out of other people's business."  
  
"And I am," answered Anju innocently. "She told me!"  
  
"Ah," Kafei said. "This Lulu is indeed different from the one we saw several months ago."  
  
Anju nodded her accord. "Eminence has gotten to that pretty head of hers."  
  
The man sighed. "Well, the royal family shall be arriving soon, and Marilla is demanding lunch. See you later, my love." Kafei kissed his wife's cheek and hiked up the final stairs.  
  
Anju's footsteps were soundless as she strolled down the burnished, wooden staircase. She pulled a key from her vest pocket and unlocked the door to the small bedroom she and Kafei shared. As she had done early on that morning, during the first crack of dawn, she gazed out the window, watching her friends prepare for the great event that evening, at dusk. Wind blew through streamers of amethyst and silver. Refreshment stands had been set up, and already people stood, drinking ale and laughing together. Excitement was in the air, and Anju drank it in, as her pals sipped their beverages. At last, she could see her sister again. 


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two  
  
By five o'clock, every preparation achievable was finished, and the Clock Town occupants filled the streets, chattering and laughing. Everyone wore their finest apparel, hoping to impress the royal family with their style. The four town areas, North, South, West and East, were trimmed intricately. Candles emitted shadows on the cement street pavement, and torches lit were high in the air, illuminating the skies while the sunlight could not. It was the ideal climate for a gala: warm enough to be comfortable without a jacket, but with an occasional cool, gentle breeze that saturated the atmosphere.  
  
It was nearly nightfall now, and Anju stood outside, tasting a tangy, flavorful liquid she could not quite place. A blend of strawberries and pears, she figured. Kafei, her husband, socialized with Mutoh, the carptenter, while the shady owner of the Curiosity Shop looked on. Kafei was easy to spot in the crowd, with his shoulder length violet hair and crimson eyes. Anju was glad to say she was common-looking, like the others, with her simple ginger hair, cut shorter than Kafei's and gray eyes.  
  
It was very obvious that the people had strived to look good tonight. Anju herself wore a scarlet dress trimmed in bullion thread, that fell to the ground. Some men wore their best suits and ties. It's a good thing there's no prince coming, Anju caught herself thinking. Or else there would be even more hype.  
  
The Indigo-Go's were on the stage that had been set up outside only mere hours ago. Anju spotted Lulu practicing her scales. Japas was close at hand, strumming his bass. An uneasy look in his expression. In fact, all the band members looked terrified, except the guitarist, Mikau. He looked composed as he played a few notes on his intrument and conversed with the onlookers, who were mostly female.  
  
Anju was pulled out of her thinking as a hand touched her shoulder. She turned. Luken stood there, grinning devilishly.  
  
"Luken," Anju said, keeping an illusion of surprise in her tone, mixed with knowing. It was an abnormal combination, but Anju pulled it off perfectly. "I didn't expect you to show up."  
  
"I didn't expect myself to show up," laughed the boy. "My mother told me I should do it out if respect for the royal family, even if I only stay an hour."  
  
Anju nodded. "Who knows, maybe you'll even befriend the princess," she implied derisively.  
  
"I doubt that," Luken shot back. "Royal princess," he scoffed. "More like royal snob!"  
  
Anju shook her head sadly. "Luken, I would think a boy your age would have renounced from acting so juvenile by now!"  
  
"I'm eighteen, Anju," Luken informed her.  
  
Anju's expression didn't adjust at his statement. "I'm not much older than you," she said objectively.  
  
"How old?" Luken grinned.  
  
Anju's eyes flashed. "How old do you think?"  
  
Luken sensed her fury and forced his smirk away. "Twenty-three is my guess."  
  
Her face cooled down to some extent, and she turned away slightly. "Twenty- two."  
  
Luken's cavernous brown eyes widened. "And how old is Kafei?"  
  
Anju clenched her teeth. She had married young, she realized. Strange, she had never grasped this until now, when a boy younger than her and much less mature pointed it out. She was positive she was blushing. "Kafei is twenty- three," she told him in a quiet, discomforted voice.  
  
Luken didn't reply. He stood there for a minute, not certain of what to say, when finally he heard his mother calling his name. "My mother's needs me," he explained to Anju. "Talk to you later." With that, he withdrew into the crowd.  
  
When he was out of earshot, Anju sighed heavily and sat down in a chair, becoming lost in her thoughts again, for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. But this moment, she thought about Azaelia and her family.  
  
Come to think of it, Queen Zelda, Azaelia's mother, had married when she was twenty, too, so Anju had no reason to be ashamed. And she'd promised Kafei she'd tie the knot with him when Anju was ten and Kafei was eleven. She was sure the queen hadn't done anything like that with King Link.  
  
Memories flooded into Anju's mind.  
  
She had been five years old when everything started, too young to remember much now. And much of what happened had been up north, in Hyrule, home of the royal family.  
  
King Link was not born a prince. He was commoner. But, an extraordinary one. When he was two and the queen (who was a princess back then) was an infant, there was a fierce, horrifying war in Hyrule. Link's mother was brutally wounded, and she couldn't bear to see her baby die. She fled across the land of Hyrule, seeking for a safe place for her baby boy to live.She found herself in a forest, full of children and faeries. She ran through the woods, past the kids, and found a massive, talking tree. She entrusted her boy to the tree, and then died shortly after.  
  
Link grew up in Kokiri Forest, a land in the heart of Hyrule, where there lived children who never grew up. Every child also had a guardian faerie. The talking tree, called the Great Deku Tree, created each child and gave them life. The prophecy said that if a Kokiri left the woods, they would die. This didn't bother the kids who populated the forest. They were content in their little realm.  
  
Except for Link.  
  
His covet to see all of Hyrule grew every day, every hour, every minute. There was not a second that went by where he didn't wish to leave the forest.  
  
His best friend was a Kokiri girl with bottle green hair named Saria. In fact, Saria was his only companion, it seemed. They shared secrets and thoughts, and often played in the Lost Woods, on never-ending quests for the adventure Link craved.  
  
The other Kokiri didn't dislike Link. They had no reason to. He was kind and very obliging, always willing to do a favor and lend a hand. However, there was a boy named Mido that despised Link. Perhaps this was because Mido had a crush on Saria, and everyone knew that she had feelings for good, sweet Link.  
  
Link stood out in the Kokiri crowd because he didn't have a faerie. No one spoke to him about this, but Saria knew it troubled him.  
  
He had recurrent nightmares, horrible dreams that told in detail how Hyrule would die out. These reveries felt so real he would believe the next day that the dream had truly happened. Saria found herself talking him out of his believing. But she also knew that in her heart, Link was special. He was not a true Kokiri. Simple as that. But she didn't want to tell him this, because she knew he'd agree. And then he'd leave. She couldn't bear to see him go. Her love for him was deep, but not strong enough to let him go.  
  
Then the day came where she had to. A faerie named Navi came to Link and explained to him that a blight was put on the Great Deku Tree, and he was dying. Link grabbed a wooden shield, and the minuscule Kokiri sword, then went out to slaughter the monsters that prowled within the Deku Tree. And he was victorious.  
  
Close to death, the Deku Tree told Link to go to Hyrule Castle where the Princess Zelda lived to determine his true destiny. With his last words, the Tree gave Link the sacred Kokiri's Emerald, and dubbed him courageous. Then Link was on his way.  
  
His good-bye to Saria was not as heartfelt as one would think. She gave him her precious faerie ocarina and ran off, back into the woods.  
  
Link was in no hurry to get to the castle. He spent a glorious afternoon traipsing through the field, breathing in the sweet Hylian air. He reached the castle just as the drawbridge went up. Exhausted, he fell asleep under a tree. Early the next morning, he snuck past the guards into the castle, and met Princess Zelda.  
  
No one, including Anju, was sure what Zelda had told him. All Anju knew was that Link had handled treasured items, like the Spiritual Stones (treasures of three of the Hylian races, Kokiri, Goron and Zora) and the seven Medallions (Forest, Fire, Water, Shadow, Spirit and Light). He overpowered malevolence and saved Hyrule. Over the course of time, he and Zelda fell in love and married.  
  
Not long after they wed, they gave birth to a daughter, Azaelia. Unfortunately, as Azaelia was born, so was evil. Desperately wanting her newborn daughter to be out of harm's way, Zelda, who was now a queen, fled to Termina. She gave her daughter to Leila, Anju's mother, and innkeeper of the Stock Pot Inn. Zelda didn't tell Leila who she was. She simply said that she'd return for the baby as soon as possible.  
  
But what Zelda didn't know was that it would take many years to conquer all the wickedness that dwelled in Hyrule since Azaelia's birth. By the time Hyrule was peaceful again, Azaelia was eight and Anju was thirteen. Queen Zelda decided to leave Azaelia where she was. She had gotten used to her life, and the king and queen didn't want to ruin anything for her.  
  
Leila didn't tell Azaelia she wasn't her true mother. Not because she wanted to protect the child, but because Leila was a spiteful woman. When Anju was young she didn't notice that her mother treated Azaelia differently. She started to become conscious of it when she was twenty and Azaelia was fifteen.  
  
First she observed that even though Azaelia was part of her family, she had to rent a room in the inn. Anju and her mother shared a room that read 'Employee's Only' on the door. Azaelia wasn't permitted to go in there. In order to pay for her room, she worked many long, arduous hours for Leila. Nonetheless, she was always in high spirits, and she and Anju got along very well.  
  
Next Anju noticed that Azaelia looked nothing like herself or her mother. Anju's red hair (which had darkened over the years) and hazel eyes were nothing like Azaelia's blonde-haired, blue-eyed perfection.  
  
Soon enough, Anju couldn't bear to see her sister mistreated any longer. She wrote a letter to Queen Zelda:  
  
Your Majesty,  
  
My name is Anju, and I live in Termina, south of your homeland of Hyrule. I am sorry to bother at a time that must be inconvenient for you, but something is not right in my home, and I would like you to come and help out, if you have a few free days. Please reply quickly.  
  
All my thanks, Anju  
  
The Stock Pot Inn, East Clock Town, Termina  
  
Less than a week later, Anju got a response:  
  
Miss Anju,  
  
King Link and I will be in town in approximately three days. We have some important matters to discuss with you and your family. See you soon.  
  
Best wishes, Queen Zelda of Hyrule  
  
The day before the king and queen arrived, Anju's then-fiancee, Kafei, went missing. He was known for vanishing at the most inconvenient times. He had done so several times before. Anju was brokenhearted, and many deduced that Kafei had run off to Romani Ranch where Anju's best friend, Cremia, worked. While Anju and Kafei had been dating, Cremia was regularly with the two of them, and there had been intense chemistry between her and Kafei. Though Kafei swore he loved Anju, she doubted it at times. However, not long before Kafei and Anju became engaged, Cremia's father died, and Cremia herself was left in charge of the ranch. She seldom came around anymore. Anju missed her best friend, but did not miss the insecurity she felt when Cremia and Kafei were together.  
  
Azaelia made an effort to find Kafei, but was not succeeding. The day the king and queen pulled in, they were enforced to put the problem behind them and act as normal, happy Terminans.  
  
Alas, the visit and news they received from Queen Zelda was not very ordinary. She told the family that Azaelia was not truly part of Anju's family. In fact, she was a princess!  
  
After the initial shock, Azaelia said a tearful goodbye to her friends and family, and went to her homeland of Hyrule to commence her reign as princess. And now, she was coming home. Though Azaelia was truly a Hylian (she had the pointy ears as proof) she still referred to herself as a Terminan. She had stated in one letter to Anju, Your race is not determined by physical traits, but by the land you were raised in and love. For me, that land is Termina.  
  
The day after Azaelia left, Kafei showed back up and told Anju he had been with Cremia for the few days he was gone. Anju remembered her shock all too well. For that pithy moment, their engagement was off. She wondered for a moment if the fact that she had gotten Kafei and Cremia hadn't was just luck. She hoped not.  
  
The large clock that had given Clock Town it's name chimed six o'clock, evening time. A rush of excitement streamed through Anju as she snapped out of her recollections. She didn't want to relive the time where Kafei hadn't been hers. She wanted to live in the now, and take pleasure in her good friend and almost-sister's company. She knew Hyrule was north of Termina, so that was the direction the royal carriage would be coming from. The townspeople started walking into North Clock Town, anxious and eager about their guest's arrival. Anju trailed the others.  
  
Once in North Clock Town, she settled on the slide the children used in the daytime. Kafei emerged from behind her and laid a hand on her shoulder. "It is almost time," he implied. As the potential future mayor of Clock Town, Kafei was to greet the royals when they came. Anju wondered if Kafei wanted to be mayor. Every time she asked him, he reacted with a bitter "I don't know" or "I don't wanna talk about it." She had hopes for him, as did his mother and father. But what were his ambitions for himself? He hardly ever spoke of them. In fact, his most recent proclamation was "I want to have more variety in our cafeteria menu."  
  
A sudden ripple of excitement passed over the crowd, pulling Anju down from the clouds. The clacking of horsehoofs on cement could be heard in the near distance, and then the spongy patter of the grass. After what seemed like eternity, the horses and coach came into view. One horse was the color of coffee, with a white mane, and the other was an auburn color, not quite the same as Anju's hair. She distinguished it as the king's stallion from his childhood, Epona. The carriage was a beautiful gold and seemed to sparkle.  
  
The carriage halted in front of the townspeople. For a second nothing happened, and it was almost as though the royals were waiting for it to sink in to the people that they were there at last. Then the door opened. 


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three  
  
The king, Link, stepped out first. Young girls all around gave silly laughs and murmured to one another. Anju could understand why. The king was probably the best-looking man she'd ever laid eyes on. His hair was golden blond and parted in the middle, and his eyes the color of the ocean. He was about six feet tall, and he wore a gray tunic. A sword was bound at his waist.  
  
Queen Zelda poked her head out, and the king extended his hand to her. She took it and climbed out as well. She looked unusually similiar to her husband, with light blond hair that fell to the middle of her back, and blue eyes. She was petite and slender. Her gown was crisp white, and around her waist a purple apron with the crest of the royal family imprinted on it. A shining gold crown was on her head.  
  
And then Azaelia. It seemed that over the years she had gotten even more beautiful. Her hair was the same shade as her mother's, but slightly shorter. Her eyes were the most brilliant blue Anju had ever seen. She was the most elaborately dressed out of the royal family. Her gown matched her eyes, and was trimmed in silver. Around her neck was a necklace that held sapphire after sapphire, and pure silver intertwined the gems like vines. A shiny silver circlet was around her forehead.  
  
An older woman stepped out of the carriage. Anju remembered her as Impa, the queen's attendant. She was the last remaining Sheikah in Hyrule. Sheikah were human, but looked slightly different, with darker skin and more dramatic facets, including red eyes brighter than Kafei's. Sheikah were known to possess profound and mystical powers that not even they had entirely discovered. This Sheikah was particularly daunting, for she was not much shorter than King Link, and she studied the Clock Town folk with a fierce look Anju could not interpret. It was a cross between unsure and threatening.  
  
Suddenly a tiny faerie flitted out of the carriage. When she moved, she made a lovely shimmering, tinkling sound. She fluttered around King Link's head for a moment before settling on his shoulder. No one could really see what small faeries looked like, for they were encircled by a beam of light. All that was able to be seen of her was her wings, that looked so delicate yet divine.  
  
Kafei made his way through the throng of people until he was in front of the royal family. "Your majesties," he said, acknowledging them. He shook the king and queen's hands. "It is so good to see you again." He smiled genuinely at them. Then he turned to Azaelia, who was looking at him as though she knew something he didn't. "Azaelia..." he started.  
  
Azaelia managed to let out a "Kafei!" before hugging him tight. Kafei was taken aback, but then he smiled and enfolded his arms around his young friend, returning the hug.  
  
"We've missed you," he said into her ear.  
  
"As I've missed you," she answered, pulling away. She surveyed the multitude of people before her, beaming joyfully. Happy tears filled her eyes.  
  
Zelda smiled warmly at Kafei. "Friends of Clock Town," she said loudly enough for everyone to hear, "I want to thank you on Azaelia's behalf for letting us reside here in town with you for the next seven days. I am glad to be back here. You are all wonderful people. Thank you all for taking care of my daughter for the first fifteen years of her life."  
  
Anger clouded Azaelia's face. "Mother!" she jeered. Her eyes blazed in annoyance.  
  
Queen Zelda flashed Azaelia a silencing look. "We are delighted to be staying with the good and kind Mayor Dotour, and his wife Madame Aroma at their home for this week. Thank you. Let the festivities begin!"  
  
The crowd cheered vociferously. Zelda glowed radiantly. A strange look of shock was on Azaelia's face. Her eyes narrowed, and she again looked at the mass of people in front of her. She spotted Anju, and hastened over to her, greeting and waving to her other acquaintances.  
  
Anju stood when she saw Azaelia coming. Once the younger girl was in front of her, she curtsied respectfully. "Your majesty," she said earnestly.  
  
Azaelia rolled her eyes and drew Anju up from her obeisance by the wrist. "Stop that, Anju," she said, half-grinning. "Give me a proper greeting, sister." She opened her arms for a hug.  
  
Anju didn't vacillate, and grabbed the princess into a tight hug. They stayed that way for a moment, before withdrawing. Anju felt tears fill her eyes. "Oh, Azaelia, I don't know how I've survived without you," she said through the tears that threatened to pour down her cheeks.  
  
The princess looked surprised. "Don't cry, Anju," she said soothingly, wiping a tear of Anju's cheek. "I'm here now," she said softly. "For a whole week." She smiled, but it seemed forced, and repulsed in some way.  
  
Anju saw the abnormal smile on Azaelia's face and asked, "What's wrong?"  
  
Azaelia looked angry. "My mother," she huffed. "I thought for sure we'd stay at the inn with you and Kafei. But we're staying with the mayor." She folded her arms across her chest. "I thought my mother was more considerate than that." She stared forward unblinkingly, lockjawed.  
  
Anju was surprised too. She bit her lip, considering, then said, "Well...maybe you can persuade her to let just you stay with us. They don't have to. I mean, if they don't want to."  
  
Azaelia shrugged her shoulders. "I dunno. Maybe. Anyway, let's talk about something more interesting than my impolite mother." She gave a tiny smile. "So...how's business?"  
  
The two started slowly walking along the streets. People often stopped to say hello to Azaelia, but in between greetings and the courteous conversations Azaelia made with the other townspeople, Anju told her everything about her life for the past few weeks: Kafei's unmotivated quality, the inn's business, Madame Aroma's pretentiousness, and even her latest idea to open a dress shop. Azaelia listened patiently, and occasionally sharing her own deliberations and opinions.  
  
At one point, around seven-thirty, Kafei caught up with them, holding a cup of ale, his cheeks flushed red from laughing. "Good evening, ladies," he said. "Azaelia, what do you think of this celebration? Pretty nice, huh?"  
  
Azaelia nodded. "Yes, the town looks fantastic. In fact, I've never seen it look more festive, not even for the Carnival of Time."  
  
"We did at all for you, Princess," Kafei responded, grinning.  
  
Azaelia blushed a deep crimson. Kafei laughed, and said, "Still haven't gotten used to people calling you that, eh?"  
  
The princess shook her head, her blonde locks falling over her shoulder. "No," she said, "in fact, I don't really like being an authority figure. I hate having servants."  
  
Kafei looked envious and weary at that moment. "Ah, well, you're young, you have energy. When you're my age you'll learn to appreciate them," he said sensibly.  
  
Azaelia nodded slightly. "Perhaps," she replied thoughtfully.  
  
There was a moment of stillness among them, and in that instant, Luken wandered over, looking nicer than usual, with his brown hair combed back and fine clothes on his body. "Evening Anju, Kafei," he said, nodding at them. His gaze then reallocated to Azaelia, and he regarded her with an expression she couldn't interpret. "Princess," he said, his eyes locked on hers. Her cheeks again flushed red, and she bowed her head, not rejoining, distrusting this boy, for some reason. Maybe it was the roguish flicker in his eye, she didn't know.  
  
Anju sensed Azaelia's self-consiousness and immediately tried to help out. "Luken just moved here a few months ago," she said quickly.  
  
That seemed to spark Azaelia's interest. "Oh, really?" she said, wide eyes staring up at him. He was quite a bit taller than her, which wasn't hard, for the princess just barely over five feet, three inches. "Do you like it here?"  
  
"Oh, I love it," answered Luken. "There's so much to do. I had about five different choices for a job. You can't that anywhere else."  
  
Azaelia agreed. "No, you sure can't. What do you do, anyway?"  
  
"I deliver the mail," he said casually, not a hint of embarrassment in his tone. This surprised Anju, because from what he'd told her, he abhored his employment of being a mailcarrier. He wanted to open a big business. He had tried several times to convince the milk bar owner, Mr. Barten, to let him take over the bar. He had been rejected. This bothered Luken, but for the moment he was conversing with Azaelia, none of this was mentioned.  
  
As the night went on, Azaelia reflected on Clock Town. Not much had amended since she was last there. Mutoh was still tall and bulky, and always swanking about his carpenter apprentices and their work, the mayor still fickle, and Anju still conventional and kind. Yet at the same time, in her heart she felt that everything had changed. People who used to tease her and have standard conversations with her were stiff, polite and unnatural. It bothered her beyond even her own comprehension.  
  
Midnight was drawing near when she spotted two familiar faces: the ranch owner Cremia and her tiny sister Romani. Azaelia instantly thought of Anju. Had she seen them yet? Azaelia knew how Anju felt about Cremia, and how she had nearly lost Kafei to her. Her heart squeezed in commiseration for both of them.  
  
But she felt mostly felt for Cremia, because she had loved Kafei so, and although she had attempted to win him over during the few nights he had hidden at her ranch, she had not succeeded. After a short time, he went back to Anju.  
  
Azaelia now felt eccentric anger toward Cremia. She knew it was because she had tried so hard to take Kafei away from Anju, even though Anju and Cremia had been best friends. She glanced around, and neither Kafei nor Anju was in sight. The coast was clear.  
  
She stood to the left of Cremia's sister Romani, and placed her hands on her hips. "Cremia," she said frigidly. "I didn't expect to see you here."  
  
Cremia stared angrily at Azaelia for a moment before bending down to whisper in her sister's ear. Romani nodded and darted off. When she was gone, Cremia stood tall and sauntered over to Azaelia. "And why's that?"  
  
The princess didn't answer the question directly. "If you came for Kafei, get out," she warned.  
  
Cremia's lower jaw jutted out. "And if I didn't?"  
  
Azaelia's cerulean eyes flashed. "Then get out anyway," she snapped coolly.  
  
Cremia seemed entertained by the whole ordeal. "I got an invitation in the mail," she explicated, seeming to be on the edge of laughter. She strode in a circle around Azaelia. "It said that all people from Termina were invited." Cocking her head so that her strawberry blonde hair slid off her shoulder, she said, "I think that means me."  
  
Instead of denying what she knew was true, Azaelia retorted back, "You're not from Termina. You're from hell."  
  
Cremia's wicked laughter filled the air. People around them turned to stare before returning to their own conversations. Azaelia willed her cheeks not to redden again, and she said through gritted teeth, "I'm warning you, Cremia. Stay away from Kafei and Anju. Or else."  
  
The older girl stepped toward Azaelia, looking so calm and cool Azaelia wanted to hit her. She wondered how a woman so pretty could be so cruel.  
  
The words Cremia spoke, they were menacing. "What you say doesn't matter, you spoiled princess. I came here to get Kafei for good. And I am not leaving without him."  
  
Then she turned on her heel and walked away, looking as though nothing had happened.  
  
Azaelia was quick-minded, a quality she had gotten from her father. She rushed off into the horde, searching for her him. She saw him standing by the inn, talking with Mutoh. Hovering over his left shoulder was Navi, his faerie.  
  
Navi had abeted King Link on his quest to save Hyrule. Faeries were the most intelligent creatures in the land. People always wanted faeries so they could have answers to their questions. They couldn't do much magic; that was the job of Great Faeries, who were human-sized and lived in fountains across the land. Navi had stayed with Link in case anything else should happened to Hyrule. She and Azaelia had gotten to be good friends over the past two years.  
  
Azaelia motioned for Navi to fly over to her, and the faerie did. "What is it?" she said in her lovely high voice.  
  
"I need you to do me favor," Azaelia answered, her tone barely above a whisper.  
  
"Of course!" Navi replied willingly. "Your father's talk with Mr. Mutoh has been lackluster. What do you want me to do?" Her wings fluttered enthusiastically.  
  
"Go find Anju and Kafei," Azaelia instructed. "Then come back here to me and tell me what they're doing and who they're talking to. Okay?"  
  
"I'm on it," Navi said. Then she fluttered off into the mass of townspeople. Faerie dust fell from her glittering wings onto the ground. A few specks landed on the back of Azaelia's hand.  
  
As she stood waiting for Navi return, with good news or with bad, Azaelia thought about her relationship with her father. He was actually rather shy, an outlandish quality for a king to have. But he made up for his coyness with his valor. No matter how hard her mother tried, there was always something going wrong in Hyrule, and it didn't matter how big or small the problem was, Azaelia's father was always aiming to solve it. She admired him, yet felt an uncanny fear of him the pit of her stomach. But they connected in ways unmentionable.  
  
Just as Azaelia's thoughts were getting too deep for her own good, Navi came back. She flew until she was directly in front of Azaelia's nose, and reported, "Anju is in North Clock Town, talking to Judo. I can't find Kafei."  
  
Azaelia felt the color drain from her face, but brushed it off, not wanting Navi to see her disturbed. For a faerie, she did an awful lot of worrying.  
  
Unfortunately, Navi was sharp-eyed and saw Azaelia's distress. "Um, Azaelia," the fae said, "can I ask a question?"  
  
"Of course," Azaelia responded, shocked Navi felt the need to ask.  
  
"Well..." Navi dithered, then asked, "why did you have me look for Anju and Kafei?"  
  
A sad smile snuck onto Azaelia's lips. "Because Cremia is in town, Navi. And I wanted to protect Anju, but I fear I was too late."  
  
Navi's wings fluttered faster. "You're not too late, Azaelia. It is never too late to help a friend."  
  
Azaelia realized that the tiny faerie before her was right. Instantly prepared to take action, she said, "We gotta find him, Navi! I know just where to look!"  
  
With that, she sprinted off again, Navi at her side. They hurried into South Clock Town. Azaelia saw through the thick cloud of people the stairway that led to the laundry pool, Kafei's old hiding place. She bolted toward it, and made a mad dash up the steps. Her legs weren't even tired. The only annoyance was her gown. It's long length got in the way of the Azaelia's strides.  
  
She slowed a little when they were in the laundry pool, her hopes high that Kafei might be in there. She followed the path that led to the door of the hiding place, and when she reached it, she twisted the knob only to find that it wouldn't budge.  
  
"It's locked!" cried Azaelia in alarm. "Navi, what're we gonna do?!"  
  
"Kick it!" Navi said back. "It's an old and weak door and shouldn't be too much trouble!"  
  
Azaelia obeyed and punted the door with all her might. It fell the floor. She heard a gasp from inside and a voice cry out, "Who's there?"  
  
Azaelia's eyes widened. Navi flew close to her ear and said in a low voice, "Shhh. Be very quiet."  
  
To make sure she wouldn't make a sound, Azaelia's slapped a hand over her mouth. Slowly, she backed out of the room.  
  
Navi made a tinkling sound of disapproval. "Get closer!" she hissed.  
  
Azaelia did, and she heard another voice. "Did that stupid door fall over again?" There was no doubt it was Kafei. No one else squandered their time in a putrid smelly place where people did laundry.  
  
"Yeah, it looks like it did." Cremia's voice. Azaelia knew it. Her heart thudded in her ears.  
  
"Well, then pick it back up!" said Kafei unkindly. "C'mon, girl, we haven't got all night!"  
  
Azaelia hopped into the water where people washed their clothes and pressed her back against the wall, praying no one would see her. Navi settled on her shoulder.  
  
She heard the door be picked up, and Cremia grunted, struggling to lift it. She propped it against the wall and walked back up the stairs to the main part of the little cabin. Azaelia climbed out of the knee-length water and poked her head in the doorway. She didn't need to see them, only to hear them.  
  
"I don't see why we have to do this," snapped Kafei.  
  
"I'll kill your wife if you don't," Cremia answered. "Now c'mon, like you said, you don't have all night."  
  
"This doesn't feel right."  
  
"Doesn't matter! Do you wanna have a dead wife, Kafei?"  
  
"No..."  
  
"Then c'mon! Do the deed so we can get on with our lives! We gotta party to get to!"  
  
"Fine." Kafei was clearly angry, but Azaelia didn't hear anything for awhile, except for a few moans and hushed mumblings.  
  
Fifteen minutes must have passed before Kafei said, "Cremia, we can't keep doing this anymore. It's tearing me apart and I think Anju's suspicious."  
  
"Good," answered Cremia. "It serves you right for choosing her over me."  
  
"I wasn't about to marry someone I don't love."  
  
"You love me. If you didn't we wouldn't be in here."  
  
There was a long pause, and Azaelia heard footsteps coming down the stairway, towards the door where she was huddled, Navi on her shoulder. "It's gotta stop, Cremia. I can't do this anymore." The echo of Kafei's footsteps got even closer. Azaelia ran off as fast as she could.  
  
She sat down at the top of the staircase, her feet dangling, letting the wind blow through her dress. The edges of it were soaked with mucky laundry pool water. Navi fluttered around in front of her, in a frenzy. There were a few quiet moments between them before the faerie said, "Let's go find Anju, we've got to tell her."  
  
"No!" cried Azaelia, hopping off the flight of stairs. "No. We can't say a word to anybody."  
  
"Why not?" asked Navi urgently. "If she finds out later that we knew but didn't tell, she'll be furious."  
  
"But she won't know that we know if we just shut up," Azaelia answered back. "Please, Navi. We have to protect her. She's so sensitive. She won't be able to handle it...besides, it's obvious that Kafei's feeling pretty guilty. Let's let him tell her himself. When he's ready, okay?" She clasped her hands together in front of her, trying to convince the obstinate faerie.  
  
Navi exhaled noisily in annoyance, but said, "Fine. But you should go see Anju anyway. She's your closest friend here."  
  
"I will," Azaelia assured her. "But what are you doing?"  
  
"Going to find your father. He'll be looking for me....Behave yourself, Azaelia. I'll see you later tonight."  
  
Azaelia nodded. "All right, I will. Remember, not a word to anybody, okay? Not even my father." She tried to stare Navi down, but the faerie was fearless.  
  
Navi nodded. "Okay. Goodbye for now, Azaelia." She flew off backwards, still facing the princess. Azaelia waved to her, and went off in the opposite direction.  
  
She made her way to North Clock Town, where Navi had seen her. Sure enough, there she was, standing by the slide, but unaccompanied. Kafei should be with her, Azaelia said silently, inside her head.  
  
As she paced over to her friend, her legs felt anesthetized, like it wasn't really her walking, she was being pushed, or she was drifting. But the sensation wasn't as wondrous as one would think. She felt awful. Still, she gathered herself together, and managed a simple "Hey stranger" to Anju.  
  
"Azaelia," Anju said cheerfully. "I was wondering where you were. What've you been up to?"  
  
The truth pressed against Azaelia's lips, but she swallowed and forced it away. Then she prepared herself to lie to the one person who had been absolutely candid with her all her life.  
  
"I've been with my parents," she fibbed.  
  
"Ohh," Anju said. "Okay. Do they like it here?"  
  
"Oh, yes," Azaelia answered, grinning. "They wish Hyrule Castle Town was this full of activity."  
  
"Someday it will be," Anju said sensibly. "You just wait..." She winked at her young friend.  
  
Azaelia arranged a smile onto her lips and glanced around. She couldn't bear to look Anju in the eye.  
  
She noticed as she looked about North Clock Town that not many people were there. "Where is everybody?" she questioned, eyebrows furrowing.  
  
"I think the Indigo-Go's just started playing," Anju replied.  
  
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Azaelia asked, smiling as brightly as she could. "Let's go!"  
  
That was how she spent the rest of the evening: inside the Milk Bar watching the band, Anju seated beside her, Kafei across the room and guilt looming over Azaelia's head. It made her exhausted. Sometime in the middle of "Ballad of the Wind Fish" she fell asleep, and slumped backward into the boy named Luken.  
  
It was well past midnight when King Link carried her to their provisional home, the mayor's residence. She woke up while she was being held in her father's strong arms, but not long enough to comprehend where she was. She was fully alert when she was placed into a bed, and an uncomfortable one at that.  
  
She opened one eye, and saw her mother, the queen, unpacking her dresses from a large bag. Azaelia rolled over onto her back and looked around. There was no doubt this was the mayor's house. This made her irate, for she really did want to be at the inn with Anju, no matter how much guilt hung over her head.  
  
The room's walls were bright yellow, and there was a timber desk with a few sheets of paper and a quill and ink pushed against the wall near the door. Two beds sat next to each other. Azaelia's blanket was the color of plums, with white spots in the shape of diamonds. The other bed's blanket was a simple jade. A curtain blocked half of the room. The changing area, Azaelia supposed.  
  
Azaelia sat up, and swung her legs over to the side of the bed, so she was facing her mother's back. "I don't see why we can't stay at the inn with Anju," she said heatedly. She stood up and stomped over to the luggage, seizing a pile of her own gowns. She then put them under her bed for safekeeping. She didn't trust Madame Aroma very much.  
  
Zelda shrugged, as if what Azaelia said didn't matter. "The mayor is the most noble person in this town," she said steadily. "You didn't think we'd stay with a commoner, did you?"  
  
Azaelia reamed. Had her mother forgotten that Azaelia had been a commoner once herself? She stood there for a moment, fists clenched at her sides. For a minute she wanted to punch her mother. She got that feeling almost on a daily basis. Her mother was a kind woman at heart, but not very considerate of Azaelia's thoughts, needs, or whims. Azaelia knew this was because she had gone so many years without a child, and it was a hard thing to get used to. She made an effort to understand, but this time, succeeding was not on the agenda.  
  
When she was finished composing her thoughts, Azaelia said, "Well, then...perhaps only I could stay at the inn? You and Father could stay here."  
  
"I don't know, Azaelia," her mother snapped. "Really, just for once can we be a family? For Farore's sake..."  
  
"We are a family," Azaelia said. "Nothing can change that. But these people have been my friends since I was a child. I'm not her royal highness Princess Azaelia here. I'm just Azaelia."  
  
Zelda turned to face her daughter, who was looking at her with such desire and longing that the word yes floated in the air. She sighed loudly, blowing it away. "I don't know. I'll...I'll think about it."  
  
Azaelia was irritated, but didn't illustrate it on her face. Trying to distract her mind from resentment and shame she felt in her soul, she pulled out a nightgown. She stripped off her royal blue gown and slipped on her nighttime attire. Off came her jewels and circlet as well.  
  
"Go to sleep," the queen said resolutely. "I am as well."  
  
Azaelia climbed into the rigid bed with the scratchy bedspread and stretched herself out, eyes still wide open. After a moment her mother blew out the candles that had lit the room, and and crawled into bed herself. Everything was very silent, unil Azaelia heard manly laughter coming from the Milk Bar. which wasn't far off. One laugh was her father's.  
  
Hardly a minute had gone when she heard her mother's faint snoring. Heeding more mirth chime from the Bar, she reminisced about the time when she and a group of her male friends broke into the Milk Bar through a window when Mr. Barten wasn't there. She couldn't have been older than fourteen, same for her friends. They had been desperate to try the milk at the bar, particularly the costly yet delicious vintage milk, Chateau Romani. The milk at the bar came from the cows at Cremia's ranch, Romani Ranch. Her sister Romani was given the same name as the farm. Once a week Cremia would deliver the milk to the bar herself. That night, Azaelia and her friends lingered outside the bar until Cremia came. They lied and said that they worked at the bar. Cremia believed them and gave them the supply for the forthcoming week. When she was out of sight, they smashed the transom and went inside, and drank all the milk inside the bar. Azaelia remembered what it felt like to be drunk off milk. Part of her yearned to leap from her bed to see if she could experience it again, but her other half felt sick just evoking it. Around midnight of the night Azaelia and her friends broke in, Mr. Barten came back and was livid at the children. They were literally thrown out, because they were too intoxicated to walk, and that includes the short walk back to their homes. Azaelia's home at the time, the inn, was less than six feet away, but she stayed with the boys. She remembered sitting there with them, sprawled over, drained and lightheaded, watching the sun rise.  
  
The laughter from the Milk Bar became Azaelia's lullaby, before long, sleep claimed her. 


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter Four  
  
Spring was by far the most beautiful season Termina ever saw. Leaves were the color of emeralds, and the flower petals themselves looked like gemstones of all shapes, sizes, and colors. The weather wasn't blistering hot nor glacial cold. Because it was such a perfect time of year, it was also when Clock Town received the most tourists, either dressed in furs and heading to the mountains of Snowhead or wearing mysterious shoes called sandals and going to the oceanic Great Bay.  
  
By break of the day, the guilt over Azaelia's head was so strong, she awoke early, at four-thirty, to go to the Stock Pot Inn and cook breakfast for the tenants. She sat up in bed, and looked to her right. There were her mother and father, sleeping peacefully. Azaelia got up and put on a simple dark green gown, and pulled half of her hair into a braid. The rest of it fell down her back. Royal regulations said that she needed to wear a tiara or a circlet on her head, but Azaelia overlooked that, for today was she a commoner again.  
  
Clock Town was peaceful at such an early hour. The children were sleeping in their beds, safe and warm, so the streets lacked the cries, shouts and giggles of kids. The adults were resting as well, exhausted from yesterday's busy preparations. Azaelia again glanced at her parents. No doubt they were fatigued. She wondered where Impa was. She was most likely staying at the inn. Azaelia also noticed that Navi had slept in her bed last night, for she was still there, a little white glow on the blankets.  
  
She crept outside and strolled down the flight of stairs to where Anju's inn was. She removed her key from her pocket, unlocked the main door, and stepped inside.  
  
And what a display the inn had! The floor was a polished mahogany, and the walls an off-white. A watercolor painting of the magnificent morning sunrise hung on one wall, and on another was a pictograph of Anju and Kafei on their wedding day. Azaelia flinched as she remembered the secret she and Navi were keeping. But the she reminded herself that she was there to help Anju, not to break her heart. Though she wanted to see the other rooms, she decided to do that later, and made her way to the kitchen.  
  
There she cooked breakfast, which would be distributed to the guests at nine o'clock that morning. She squeezed oranges for juice, and found a dozen Cucco eggs for omelets. The aroma floating out of the kitchen was mouthwatering, especially when Azaelia began baking bread. She sighed with content. When she had worked at the inn, she had cleaned all day, while Anju cooked, and Leila, Anju's mother, stood at the desk where visitors checked in. Cooking was much more fun than those things.  
  
She'd been working for an hour when she heard a mumbling groan behind her. She turned to see Anju standing there, still in her nightclothes, her hair mussed and rubbing her eyes sleepily. "Huhh...Azaelia, what are you doing here at this hour?"  
  
"Helping you," Azaelia said cheerfully. She grabbed a tray off the kitchen's wodden table and put a plate of food on it. Then she handed it to Anju, still confounded and puzzled, like she always was when she woke up. "Here. Have some breakfast. I looked in your appointment book; your first guest is due at seven. Room 17. I'll go clean that up now while you eat." She pulled a chair out for Anju, who plopped down.  
  
"Azaelia," Anju said, "you don't have to do this. You...you're on vacation."  
  
"You've got it all wrong, Anju," Azaelia responded. She took a quick bite of egg. "I want to help you. I've missed working here, so I'm gonna make up for it this week."  
  
Anju shook her head but said nothing.  
  
"So..." Anju said. She stirred the hot beverage she was preparing in a large pot on the stove. "When does Kafei wake up?"  
  
"He'll be up any minute," Anju answered. "Why do you ask?" Her eyed locked on Azaelia, not chary, but with curiosity.  
  
Azaelia shrugged as she swirled the liquid inside the pot absently. "Oh...just wondering. Hey, maybe he can take you out for lunch or something while I take care of things here," she suggested. She was hoping that if they went out for a romantic meal, he might tell her about Cremia and her perils.  
  
Anju tilted her head thoughtfully. "I dunno. Maybe. I'm not going to force him to go out," she told Azaelia, who nodded grimly. She rapped her stirring ladle on the side of the pot.  
  
"Well," Azaelia said, "I'm going to ring the breakfast bell, and then I'll hurry to tidy up Room 17. You go back to bed," she instructed Anju.  
  
"All right," Anju agreed reluctantly. "But if you need anything at all, come wake me, alright? Promise?"  
  
Azaelia nodded.  
  
Anju trudged out the door and back to her room, while Azaelia chimed the breakfast bell. Guests flooded into the kitchen, some hungry and impatient to get breakfast, others solely wanting to see Princess Azaelia. She smiled good-naturedly, eager to get other things done.  
  
After she had enjoyed a quick breakfast herself, Azaelia went to Room 17 to clean up. She was putting sheets on a cot when she heard a "Hey!" from outside the casement. She glanced up and saw a familiar white blur of light. Navi, and she was flying about uneasily.  
  
Azaelia hurried to open the window. Navi flew in. She seemed to be looking around when Azaelia blurted, "You didn't tell anyone, did you?"  
  
"Of course not," Navi said. "But I had to let you know. Cremia is still in town. I saw her over in the west."  
  
Azaelia's heart skipped a beat. "Navi, what're we gonna do?! She's looking for Kafei, I know it!"  
  
"Of course she is!" Navi answered back. "Where are they, anyway?"  
  
"Still sleeping," Azaelia said, blue eyes wide with dread.  
  
There was a pause, when Navi said edgily, "So? What do you want me to do?"  
  
"Find Cremia and trail her. If she gets anywhere near here...um...distract her. Come back here if you need me. I'll try not to let Anju and Kafei out of the inn."  
  
Navi nodded. "I'm on it. Good luck, Princess." With that, she flew out of the open window.  
  
Azaelia sighed and got back to her cleaning. At seven o'clock, their guest came, and Azaelia was shocked to see that it was a pirate! Pirates lived in the east part of Great Bay, inside a fortess. They were striking but mean, and all-female. Still, Azaelia gave the pirate her key and settled back into her chair at the front desk.  
  
And that was how her day went, guests coming or departing, cooking lunch and bringing it to the rooms, cleaning. It was hard work, but Azaelia enjoyed it more than she had enjoyed her two years as a noblewoman. Perhaps it was because this was the life she was used to.  
  
Over the course of the day, she didn't hear back from Navi, so the presumed everything was okay. Eventually, she forgot about Cremia and was working industriously.  
  
Arond two o'clock, she was dusting in the lobby with Anju sitting at the front desk when Luken came in with the mail. "Afternoon, Anju," he said. He set her letters down on the table and looked around. Azaelia gawked at him for a minute. He became aware of her and said, "Princess," in acknowledgement.  
  
Azaelia merely nodded at him before walking swiftly out of the foyer and into the kitchen.  
  
She didn't know what she felt for this boy, named Luken. Part of her liked him and wanted to sit with him for hours to try to unearth the inscrutability that shielded him, even though she knew that was infeasible. Her father, Link, could hardly warm up to his own daughter, so there was no guarantee Luken would ever accept her. But the other half of her disliked him strongly. Why did he have to call her 'Princess' instead of by her name? Is that how his parents taught him? Azaelia was profoundly intrigued by the handsome young boy, but she forced her mind away from him, which wasn't easy.  
  
Luken watched Azaelia go, and then turned back to Anju, resting his palms on the desk. "What's she doing here?" he asked, nodding at the direction Azaelia had gone in.  
  
"Helping me," Anju said vaguely. She groped through the documents, books, and quills on her desk, then handed him a stack of letters. "Deliver these, will ya? I'd appreciate it."  
  
Luken nodded and stuffed the letters into his red mailbag. "She's helping you? Why?" He was still staring at her path, a foggy look on his face. WHY? he asked inside his head. Why do I have to fall for the most beautiful girl in the land, whom I know absolutely nothing about? She may be gorgeous, but that doesn't mean she's a good person... His thoughts would not reconcile. The pure sight of Azaelia excited him so. Those sapphire blue eyes, that just last night had locked on his as they chatted. Her flaxen hair, falling down her back and swishing as she walked. If she was that pretty not smiling, imagine how stunning she would be when she did! The thought left him breathless! But Anju could not know that.  
  
Anju have him a hard stare and asked, "Why does that surprise you so?"  
  
He shrugged. "She's a princess. Isn't she supposed to sit around while we wait on her?" His heart thudded around in his chest as he envisioned her face.  
  
Anju smiled and shook her head, auburn hair bouncing. "Most princesses weren't raised as commoners," she laughed.  
  
Luken looked thoughful. "True," he said. If only she was still a commoner!  
  
They were silent for a moment, until Anju said, "We have work to do. Go deliver my letters, please." She grinned.  
  
Luken leered at her. "All right. I'll be back soon." It just slipped out.  
  
"Oh..." Anju was about to return to her manuscripts when she realized what he had said. "What? What d'you mean, you'll back be back?"  
  
Luken gave a small shrug. "It's what you said about the princess being different..."  
  
Anju wore a skeptical look.  
  
"She inspires me," Luken said softly. "When I come back, I'm gonna help her help you." Yes, he was. He was going to spend his afternoon with Princess Azaelia of Hyrule, the most attractive girl in all the world! He was even more enthused than before.  
  
And then he was out the door. Anju could only sit and stare, then smile.  
  
~~~  
  
"Azaelia still refers to herself as Terminan," Queen Zelda was confiding to Kafei.  
  
They were at the mayor's house, in the drawing room. The mayor and Madame Aroma were out, making sure everything in town was going well. Kafei sat in his mother's scarlet velvet chair, with the queen perched on the navy sofa beside him.  
  
Kafei previously knew how Azaelia portayed herself before the queen had told him, but for the her sake, he acted as if he didn't. Her eyes were already rich with rage.  
  
"Well," Kafei said, "physically Azaelia may be a Hylian. She's got the pointy ears to prove it."  
  
Zelda let a tiny smile form on her lips. But, being a royal, she couldn't show too much emotion.  
  
"But," Kafei persisted, making eye contact with the queen, "she was brought up here, your majesty. Maybe someday, Hyrule will be home, but she hasn't been there for that long. It might take years before she accepts the change."  
  
"I hope it's soon," Zelda said, and Kafei detected a touch of panic in her voice. "Someday not far off, she'll have to marry and be queen. And I for one don't think she can handle it...I mean, she insisted on sleeping at your inn last night. I didn't let her, of course, but...oh, nevermind. It's frustrating. I wish she'd act her status."  
  
Kafei was hurt and angry. What was wrong with his inn? With Anju's inn? But he was not one to show how he truly felt about important matters, so he forced his irate away.  
  
"I don't think status is important to Azaelia," Kafei responded. He looked over at the small table beside his mother's chair, and saw a bottle of wine and a few goblets there. "Care for a drink, Highness?" he asked, pouring himself some.  
  
"Please," Zelda said.  
  
He decanted some into another chalice unblemished wineglass and gave it to the queen, who sipped it daintily. "So," she started, "how are things with you and young Anju?" Kafei and Anju reminded her of what her and Link had when they were young: hard love, love that suffered because they lacked time to nourish it, but love that would survive in the end.  
  
"Good, thanks," Kafei said. He remembered his encounter with Cremia the night before and squirmed uneasily. The queen gave him a concerned look but said nothing.  
  
When he and Anju were dating, before they wed, Cremia was the sweetest girl Kafei had ever met, other than Anju. She was strong, because when he father died she took over his dairy farm, no questions asked. Kafei admired that so, and thought highly of her. But while she harbored strong, lusty sentiments for him, he had nothing to offer her other than his comradeship. At first Cremia thought he would come around. When Anju was occupied with the inn, Cremia and Kafei spent days together, just talking. The conversations they'd had were subterranean, and Kafei poured his heart out to her when Anju was too busy and stressed to listen. Cremia was sure she'd won his love. But she hadn't. Kafei and Anju got married, and that's when Cremia grew evil, resentful and cunning, and she began forcing Kafei to perform sexual acts with her or else she would kill Anju. He was petrified of her now. The girl who could've been his best friend was now his nightmare.  
  
"Are you planning to have children?" the queen asked curiously, taking a drink of wine, blinking at him.  
  
Kafei mulled over the idea. He had to deal with Cremia before he could have kids with Anju. He knew that. "We actually haven't talked about it," he divulged. "But, y'know, we're young, and things've been so hectic at the inn, it'd be hard to concentrate on anything else."  
  
"I know what you mean," Zelda said. "In Hyrule it seems like every other day there's something bad happening." A sad, secluded look was in her eyes.  
  
She was stiff, and prescribed, and loved to be known as queen. Azaelia was the opposite; she wanted everyone to forget her title and just treat her normally. Zelda seemed to have a thirst to be adulationed that could never be quenched.  
  
"Like what?" Kafei asked.  
  
Zelda sighed. "Well...there've been phantoms in our land. Kafei, our worlds may be very diverse in some ways, but in others, they are a lot alike. You see, recently some soldiers were exploring the ruins beyond our territory, when they came across a mysterious castle. We looked in books for hours, but we found nothing about other citadels other than our own. My husband and his men went to investigate further, and they found dozens of Stalchilds there. And they seemed to be speaking in their own tongue, but we can't interpret it. So my husband destroyed them, and now ghosts of them roam Hyrule, and some are still seen in the castle we found. We're trying to find out more, but..."  
  
"Stalchilds?" Kafei interrupted. "We have our own castle as well, Majesty. The Ancient Castle of Ikana is where ReDeads and Stalchilds stray without restraint."  
  
Zelda looked thoughtful, and she leaned forward. "Tell me more..."  
  
"Well," Kafei said, "first tell me about your Stalchilds. What are they like in Hyrule?" He was relieved to her his mind of Cremia, and Anju. A headache terrorized his brain.  
  
"I don't know very much, but my husband has come across them many times," Zelda answered. "But our Stalchilds only come out at night, in our Hyrule Field, similiar to your Termina Field. If they see someone, they'll follow them around, ceaselessly slashing them with their claws."  
  
"What do they look like?"  
  
Zelda paused. "Skeletons," she said with a shiver.  
  
Kafei nodded knowingly. "Yes, so do ours. Well, Majesty, we must be a bit more academic here in Termina, because from what our scholars have discovered, Stalchilds are the soldiers of our Ancient Ikana Castle. Hundreds of years ago they were cursed, and now they are found in Ikana Canyon, still searching for their leader and awaiting his orders."  
  
Queen Zelda's eyes were huge. "What else do you know?" She looked like a child, even though she was age thirty-seven, so interested and determined.  
  
Kafei smiled a little and continued. "Well, a mask was created the allows the one who wears it to converse with the Stalchilds. However, it is the mask of their leader, so when the Stalchilds see the person wearing the mask, they think it is their master. It also permits the mask wearer to communicate with them and tell them what to do. Majesty, I want to help you. Somehow I will find that mask and give it to you to take home, so you can drive away these creatures."  
  
Zelda shook her head and closed her eyes. "No, Kafei, that isn't neccessary. Surely there is another way. I will not have you risk your life for me." The worry and corncern in her voice actually seemed genuine. This surprised Kafei.  
  
Kafei smirked and leaned toward the queen. "No offense your highness, but if Stalchilds are troubling Hyrule, they're haunting your daughter's home. And I love Azaelia like she is my own daughter. I'll do anything to protect her."  
  
The queen was blank for a second, for never before had anyone been so mordantly disrepectful in her presence.  
  
"What are you going to do?" she asked Kafei quietly.  
  
"I'll find the mask," Kafei said. "Somehow."  
  
~~~  
  
"Yer daughter's a dish," Mutoh implied loudly to the king, Link, who didn't know what to say.  
  
"She looks jus' like 'er mother!" Mutoh concluded.  
  
Link blinked a few times in a row, astonished that someone would say such a thing about his wife, especially in his company.  
  
Mutoh burst our in hilarity. "Haw haw haw! Jus' kiddin'! Haw haw haw haw!" He slapped the king on the back. "I'm jus' kiddin' my friend. Dun worry. I gotta wife of my own anyhow, Majesty."  
  
Link nodded numbly.  
  
"So how's everythin' in the country o' yours?" Mutoh asked seriously.  
  
"We're being invaded by phantom Stalchilds," Link said, "but other than that, it's good."  
  
They were standing in East Clock Town, not far from Anju's inn. Mutoh was drinking cold milk, and Link nibbled at a pastry every so often.  
  
"So tell me," Mutoh said, "is 'Zaelia gonna get married anytime soon?"  
  
He hadn't gotten especially close with his daughter, despite the fact that they were a lot alike, from what Navi and Impa told him. All he knew was that she was beautiful (as Mutoh had said, she looked just like her mother), daring, and missed her Termina friends deeply. He longed to show her sword techniques and magic, but couldn't bring himself to look her in the eyes. He felt he had betrayed her all her life, because they had waited until she was nearly an adult before finding her. He wanted to kiss her goodnight.  
  
It wasn't her fault; Azaelia was not at all distant. She was warm, sociable, and welcoming. It was he who needed to come out of his shell to greet his grown-up baby.  
  
Link smiled and shook his head. "Royal regulations say she has to be twenty or over."  
  
"Ahhh," Mutoh said in response. "An' she is...?"  
  
"Seventeen."  
  
"Ah, I see. She's young, she's got plenty o' time. Young an' beautiful. She'll 'ave no trouble findin' a man, that's for sure!" He laughed again.  
  
They didn't speak for a moment, until Mutoh said, "So in yer country, do you royals marry for love? Or do ya have arranged marriages?"  
  
"My wife wants to arrange it for Azaelia," Link answered. "She thinks Azaelia's too intractable to find a man herself. But I don't think so, I think she'll find somebody."  
  
"Course she will!" Mutoh exclaimed. "But what 'bout you and her majesty? Was yer marriage planned by yer parents?"  
  
"I met Zelda when I was a child," Link told him. "Actually...yes, we were quite young. But she told me Hyrule was in trouble and that we were the only two people who could save it. I was unconvinced, but in the long run I believed her. And we rescued Hyrule."  
  
Link didn't bother telling Mutoh about the Temple of Time, or Ganondorf. He'd just laugh and call him a liar anyway, she Link kept his mouth shut. He memories of those eerie, bizarre years loitered at the edge of his mind. He thought of them often. Yet another story he longed to tell Azaelia.  
  
"Interesting love story," Mutoh remarked.  
  
"I suppose it is," Link said. "After Hyrule was safe, we were good friends for years. I proposed to her when we were very young. I was Azaelia's age, and Zelda was fifteen. But she said yes...and five years later we wed."  
  
"Awww...how sweet," Mutoh laughed and hit Link on the shoulder. "Y'know, Link, you should come to the Bar with us again tonight. You seemed to have fun last night!"  
  
Link decided not to admit that he had been drunk. "Perhaps," he said. His worry for Hyrule had proceeded to make him consume so much Chateau, he could hardly walk. Zelda had been very disappointed in him.  
  
"C'mon." Mutoh put his arm around the king. "A little fun never hurt anybody..."  
  
~~~  
  
Back at the Stock Pot Inn, Azaelia was in the inn study. She was supposed to be cleaning, but she couldn't help it: she had settled in the armchair by the fireplace, reading a thick book with long, eloquent words she could hardly understand. She knew Anju wouldn't mind, but Luken had been helping her wordlessly all afternoon, and she was afraid of what he might say if he found her.  
  
Her feelings for Luken had congealed, and now they were set in stone in Azaelia's mind. Affection with an ill-mannered twist. She couldn't meet his gaze when he spoke to her. She was glad he hadn't all day. He had followed her from room to room, doing what he thought needed to be done, but that was it. No discussion, but was saying something to her. She wished she understood...  
  
A half hour passed before he found her. When he came in, he was holding a duster. He gave Azaelia a disappointed smile and said, "Princess..." censoriously. His heart pounded and for a second he feared she might hear it.  
  
The apprehension Azaelia had felt toward him evaporated. He was treating her like a child, and that rankled her. "What?" she snapped fiercely. Yes, he was very handsome, but what right did he have to make her feel inferior?  
  
Luken held up his hands, surrendering. "Nothing, Princess. Just surprised that you weren't working." He walked evenly over to the wooden bookshelf and began dusting. Azaelia's intense blue eyes followed his every movement. She was annoyed that she didn't have the same affect on him as he did on her.  
  
"What do you mean?" she demanded angrily. She stayed seated, trying not to get worked up.  
  
He turned to face her. Farore, she was beautiful.  
  
Luken shrugged. "Ah, never you mind, Princess. You are royalty, you shouldn't have to work..." His voice trailed off. He longed to grab her and wrap his arms around her, but he told himself no. Control. Could he control her? He wanted to try. Perhaps she was not as authoritative as she seemed.  
  
"Excuse me?" Azaelia's temper flared, and she stood up. "Who cleaned the entire kitchen and made lunch today? Hmm?"  
  
"You did, Princess," Luken said simply. "With my assistance."  
  
Azaelia didn't protest. Luken enjoyed seeing the beautiful, powerful royal back down to him. As much as he wished she was rude, demanding and arrogant, she just wasn't. She was kind, charitable, and from what Anju said, adventurous. But in his heart, Luken knew she was more than that.  
  
She was everything.  
  
They continued to work for the rest of the day. Again, they did not speak. Azaelia at one point got so close to him when arranging the bookshelf in the study that she could feel his breath on her face. She shivered, and he turned away. That occurance stayed with her all afternoon, and she must have replayed it in her mind a hundred times before Anju came in to eulogize them for their work.  
  
"Maybe you should work her full-time," Anju teased Luken. "I didn't know you could clean so well!" She grinned.  
  
Luken shook his head sadly and ran a hand through his dark chocolate hair. Smiling, he said, "Thanks for offer, Anju, but Azaelia did most of the labor here today."  
  
Azaelia's heart skipped a beat. Was that a compliment? He heart believed it, but her mind did not.  
  
Anju lifted an eyebrow and glanced at Azaelia, whose expression was blank. The girl shrugged. "Naw," she said. "Luken helped a lot." She shot him a glance that was not returned to her.  
  
Anju continued to look at Azaelia, then back at Luken. He looked away from Anju's gaze and Azaelia's cheeks reddened. "I should get home," Azaelia said. She gave the clock a fleeting glance. "It's getting late."  
  
It was Luken's turn to be surprised. "It's eight o'clock," he told her.  
  
"Yes," Azaelia said. "I know." She gritted her teeth. He could change her mood so easily. That flattering remark he'd said just seconds ago made her soar, yet now this teasing made her want to strike him across the face.  
  
Luken gaped at her. "You go to bed that early?"  
  
"I'm tired," she said. The edge in her voice was back. She wasn't angry, but she knew Anju suspected something of them, and she didn't want her to, so the irate in her tone was required. But now she felt she couldn't be mad at Luken. He'd spent his entire day helping her. Azaelia's heart hadn't been into lending Anju a hand all day, but it did take her mind off Cremia and Kafei. Not to mention what had happened in the study. The highlight of my day, she admitted silently.  
  
With a toss of her golden blonde hair and "Bye, Anju," Azaelia was out the door. She wanted to make a final eye contact with Luken but she didn't let herself. She was afraid of what she might see in those bottomless brown eyes--and of what hers might tell him.  
  
She knew what hers would say. They'd tell him the words she'd practically been bursting to say since the moment she'd met him. Those words made her want to break down in tears and rip her own hair out. In disturbance, she put her hands in her hair and bit down on her lip, hard.  
  
She meandered up the steps to the mayor's house, still troubled but trying to keep her cool. The receptionist, Elsa, sat at the tall, light coppice counter. She smiled at Azaelia, who nodded and said, "Hi Elsa," before heading into the room she was sharing with her parents.  
  
Throwing her body onto her bed, she fell into a deep sleep.  
  
~~~  
  
Why was it so warm?  
  
She kicked her covers off her legs and wriggled around. Beads of sweat fell down her face. Clamminess formed on her arms and legs as well. It was insufferable. She wanted to scream in irritation. All she wanted was to sleep. Oh, sleep, unfathomable dark sleep, where her dreams became reality. A place where Luken confessed his love for her under a shady tree, and their wedding, it was spectacular. Her gown was a clean bright white, with faerie dust sprinkled all over it, glittering, a crown on her head, blonde hair falling down her back. Her mother at last smiled at her daughter with pride. Her father walked her down the isle before giving her away to her Luken.  
  
But why was it so hot?  
  
He took her hand and pressed it to his heart, and beamed at her. She smiled back and closed her eyes, feeling emotions she'd never dared to think about before. He bent down to her, his face close to hers, breath on her cheek. She wanted to press her lips to his more than anything in the world, but she didn't, instead she took pleasure in being so close to Luken.  
  
The ceremony began.  
  
"I will never forget the day I first met you  
  
Because I knew from that moment forward I would love you  
  
Love...  
  
Yes.  
  
I love you--"  
  
He cut short by a scream. Azaelia trembled and shivered. The scorching heat was getting to her head, she needed water...but why, why hadn't he said it? He loved her, she just needed...  
  
Someone shook her arm. Not a gentle shake, but a hard one, like her life depended on it.  
  
"AZAELIA! GET UP, NOW!" More screams. "PLEASE AZAELIA, WAKE UP! OHHHHH! OUCH, MY ARM...AZAELIA!"  
  
She opened her eyes and immediately wished she hadn't.  
  
Flames plagued the room. Everything, everything was burning to crisp. She saw her mother at the other side of the room, clinging to her father, crying in fear. Her arms and hands were smoldered, and her father was shooting ice arrows everywhere, doing everything in his power to stop the fire. But it was no use.  
  
And then they hit her face. She plunged into a world of fire and lava. Everywhere she stepped, her whole body burned, until she dissolved into nothing, burning in the middle of room. No more than a few seconds after, her skin looked like coal.  
  
Then she saw...  
  
What...?!  
  
Stalchilds. Hacking their claws at her and laughing a depraved snicker the resembled Cremia's. So many Stalchilds, and ReDeads, and...where was she? Those creatures... But oh, the burns! They slaughtered Azaelia to bits, until she lay on the sizzling ground, entreating for mercy.  
  
Clock Town was on fire, and Azaelia was in the center of it. 


End file.
